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Liverpool have exited the Champions League in underwhelming fashion, and Arne Slot got it wrong.
PSG were the better team over two legs, and are worthy of a place in the semi-final. It was easier for the Parisians than it should have been, though.
Slot dropped Mo Salah from the Liverpool XI, and while that on its own did little to rock the boat, his use of the players who got the nod left a bit to be desired. Specifically, his use of Florian Wirtz was somewhat of a head-scratcher, but that tells the story of the season.
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We needed so much more…
Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images Arne Slot used Florian Wirtz all wrong vs PSG
This was the game Slot had to get right. Mounting a comeback against the Champions League holders is no easy feat, but it was made even more difficult by the decision to use Wirtz as a winger in a game where we needed his creative impact.
Sure, Ekitike’s injury after 30 minutes did Liverpool no favours, but Wirtz was being used out wide before he ever left the pitch.
After nine-odd months of watching the German in a red shirt, it’s painfully obvious to everyone but the Liverpool manager that he is wasted on the flanks. That was the case against PSG, where he sat on the fringes without making the impact we know he can.
This was a game that called for bravery, yet the approach did not reflect that.
Slot is on his last legs with Liverpool fans already, and this error in judgement will do little to alleviate the pressure on his shoulders.
Full time: The Reds exit the Champions League in limp fashion
Where does this leave Arne Slot?
Photo Credit: Getty Images/Liverpool FC Arne Slot will struggle to get Liverpool fans back on side
I’m not going to launch into the Slot defence after this disappointment. Taking emotion out of it, Liverpool played well.
The 2-0 scoreline paints an unfair picture of the game, in which the home side were on top for the vast majority. The problem is that the end product — from a side on which no expense has been spared — was non-existent.
Ekitike’s withdrawal was a blow, but it was a team-wide issue.
We knew it was going to take a lot to turn this around, but to be dealt another emphatic defeat really adds a sting to the outcome.
Fans are now going to be quite outspoken with regards to the Dutchman’s future, and those still in support of Slot are going to find it difficult to continue backing him with nothing left to play for.
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